#ardaric vaanes

[moulong]

Ardaric Vaanes

He has unusual violet eyes

[mirdans-100challenge]

Trying to practice drawing armour more. And its also a chance to show off a blorbo a bit. Lil renegade Raven Guard.

Im enjoying the Iron Warrior books way more then I expected to. There is a high chance we get to see more of them from me soon 😅

[ladymirdan]

First fic of the new year! 🎉

(yes it's an Iron Warrior shameless PWP and you can't stop me!)

[two-reflections]

Daaaaamn, Cain won hard!

Blog's been running on queue this week, I've been too busy to be online, but I have recently read the Iron Warriors short story The Skull Harvest by Graham McNeill and started reading Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom by Mike Brooks. Why these two when Cain won? It's because they're on my phone. (My Ciaphas Cain books are physical, I started Caves of Ice before either of these but I'm not too far into it yet because I can't carry an Omnibus around as easily.)

Anyway, let's talk about those two! Spoilers and terrible memes below!

The Skull Harvest is about Warsmith Honsou of the Iron Warriors' participation in a Battle Royale style completion run by Huron Blackheart of the Red Corsairs. I really liked the concept, but I'm not convinced it works well as a short story. So much happens in it without being elaborated upon that it ends up feeling more like an outline for a novel. The character interactions are a highlight, especially between the Iron Warriors and whenever Huron's onscreen. Honsou is a great lead, very likable. Honestly, he comes off as a surprisingly clean-cut hero type in this one, until you remember what he's actually doing. Ardaric Vaanes is super fuckable and deserves more fans. Also... I love a fake betrayal.

I enjoyed the idea of the Skull Harvest competition, too. A Battle Royale that ends in death or being recruited by someone stronger, where the winner at the end leaves with an army and Huron's favour... That's so much fun! I did find myself wondering how it benefits the Red Corsairs, though. I bet it's actually a terrible reality TV show, as well as one hell of a gambling racket. Unfortunately, because the contest doesn't have room to breathe in the short format, it all comes off as rather Khorne-coded, with one Slaneeshi guy and a tiny bit of sorcery in the mix. Would have been great to see how different aspects of Chaos mixed and manifested over a longer version of the competition. Perhaps it could have include more varied trials too? (I'm biased as a big fan of Kaiji Ultimate Survivor, though.)

In summary:

I'm 58% of the way through Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom, in which the Bloodreaver's boys famously joyride the Macragge's Honour. I don't love some of the stylistic choices, like the book being written in he present tense, but it's been a quick and easy read so far. Huron is clever, charismatic, ruthless, and doing everything he does while in terrible physical pain and under the extreme stress of keeping his relationship with Chaos balanced. He almost makes it look easy, but it is clearly taking a toll. Love that shit.

There's a lot of detail about the inner politics of the Red Corsairs. Watching Huron juggle loyalties and debts is *chef's kiss*.

Will probably have more to say about that when I'm done reading, though. Also, I'm looking forward to being able to compare the Huron from the Skull Harvest and the Huron from Master of the Maelstrom.

Special shoutout to Datasmith Griza Dallax and her Baymaxes Kastelans. She is given a lovely "join or die" at the beginning and now seems to be falling to Chaos in real-time as she starts to see the operession of the Imperium for what it is... Or is she!? That doesn't really convey her story, I'm enjoying how nuanced it is. Also, her parts are some of the funniest so far.

Okay, that's all for now! Will post again when I'm done with Caves of Ice and Master of the Maelstrom.

*Three

In my defense, I was half-asleep when I scheduled this post. 🤦

[caiusmajor]

I have to go for a Ultramarine and say Ventris for that character thingy.

Prefacing this by saying that I haven't actually read most of Ventris' books -- just Dead Sky, Black Son, and the beginning of Chapter's Due. So I'm not very familiar with the various Ultramarine pairing options.

My NOTP for them 

I don't think I have one? I feel like there's some obvious choice over in the Ultramarines but (a) I don't know them and (b) I'm in favor of poor Uriel being buttfucked by Ultramarines politics actually.

My BROTP for them

Pasanius. Obviously bros even though I'm also in favor of it sexually/romantically.

My OTP for them 

Also Pasanius actually? As fun as Uriel/Honou is I don't really think of them as OTP as such. Also: size kink, mmm.

My second choice pairing for them 

Honsou. Good fucking luck getting them together but then -- Ventris had that whole little monologue of "I'm just like Honsou actually" and I'd LOVE a nice little corruption arc to bring that out.

My fluffy pairing for them

Pasanius I guess? Insofar as anything is fluffy in the grimdark future.

My angsty pairing for them 

I think Uriel/Ardaric Vaanes has potential in this direction.

My favorite poly ship for them 

I've *definitely* considered Honsou/Uriel/Pasanius in, uh, varying levels of non-con.

My weirdest pairing for them

...Uriel/the Unfleshed. Not letting them die virgins is the LEAST Uriel can do, really.

[captainblacklobster2]

Timeline of the 41st Millennium: 934.M41

* Ardaric Vaanes, Shadow Captain of the Raven Guard's 4th Company, is declared Excommunicate Mortis. 

* Elysian Drop Troops of the Imperial Guard end a decade-long blockade of the Stranthium Orbital Space Docks, driving off Ork Kaptin Blacklaw and his Freebooterz. 

* The Toran VI Massacres. The Crimson Fists defeat the warband of Chaos Lord Sathash the Golden.

[ladymirdan]

So I finished reading Dead Sky, Black Sun yesterday and I got some feelings.

I have skipped this book for ages since it has a reputation for being “the worst”.

Sure, if you are very squeamish about body horror/gore, it is pretty graphic in that sense, but it wasn't as bad as it was portrayed to be. I would say its pretty much on par with Nighthaunter or the Night Lords books in gore factor, but with far less horror/suspense elements.

The thing that chocked me the most reading this book was that I rather enjoyed it 😅

I have made no secret that I dont vibe with MacNeill’s writing usually, but this book was so god damn funny and whacky, I wouldnt mind reading it again. It is in no way a literary masterpiece, and some real bafflingg choises were made. But did I have fun? Yes.

Do I recommend this book?... Doubtful. If you like gore and dont care about plot holes and just want some mindless action? Sure.

There are so many delightful characters, and that has always been MacNeill’s strength. The dialogue is laughable, but the concepts are strong.

One I didn't think I would like so much was Ardaric Vaanes. (me? Liking a raven guard? Bizarro world I know!)

I have joked before that Honsou is just a single mom, trying to hunt down Ventris to make him pay child support. But having Vaanes as Honsou’s bitchy goth rebound girlfriend/newborn-stepmom is not something I expected, but I'm so living for it.

Honsou and Vanes just hate-fucking each other to get back at Ventris (who is lightyears away, not giving either of them a single thought).

There needs to be more art of Vaanes... Will I manage to not be lazy for once and draw some? Who knows? 😂

[caiusmajor]

obligatory Honsou ask for the shipping meme

Honsou:

My NOTP for them 

I don't think I have one? It's Honsou, no mere pairing could be cringier or more awful than the shit he does in canon.

My BROTP for them

Honsou goes through allies SO fast, man. Forrix, maybe? More of a mentor thing but I get the impression they worked together for a long time and Forrix almost liked him.

My OTP for them 

Uriel Ventris. Epic HATRED, and also somehow the longest-lasting relationship in Honsou's life post-Storm of Iron.

My second choice pairing for them 

Caderas Grendel, because Honsou loves playing with fire so fucking a Khornite berserker who's probably gonna try to kill him sooner or later sounds like his kind of fun.

My fluffy pairing for them

I think the fluffiest relationship Honsou's ever had is with Perturabo, which is hilarious. Let Perturabo pet him on the head and call him a good boy and show him Forrix wasn't lying about some of the good times with their Primarch.

My angsty pairing for them 

Honsou doesn't actually angst very much, mostly he causes other people to angst. If I really wanted Honsou angsting, though, I'd write something about his younger days being bullied by every goddamn Iron Warrior on Medrengard for being a half-breed.

My favorite poly ship for them 

Honsou/Caderas Grendel/Ardaric Vaanes/Notha Etassay (& Newborn) has SERIOUS wacky polycule hijinks potential.

My weirdest pairing for them

I haven't gotten that far with Chapter's Due, but I think Honsou/M'Kar has potential to be seriously weird.

[bloody-red-gem]

1) IMHO, Master of the Maelstrom's plot was "ok", but the characters and interactions between them were really great. Scheming, haughty and sassy son of Sanguinius, fallen to Chaos? And he plays mind games with Huron? *chef's kiss* Perfect!

2) Alastor Rushal stole Ardaric's title "the kinkiest traitor Raven" - what a bad boy (*slams the table* THAT'S WHAT SEVATAR SAID!). The Slaaneshi birb Vaanes deserves the same attention!

3) I actually envy everyone who hasn't read Fabius Bile trilogy. These books were so good that they (with some of ADB's stuff) ruined my subsequent WH40k experience. I'm practically obsessed with them. 3 years have passed and I'm still bitter that GW lost Josh Reynolds.

*Three

In my defense, I was half-asleep when I scheduled this post. 🤦